Alleviator



3 1 21, 1942. w. 'r. KNAUTH 2,290,337

ALLEVIATOR Filed Nov. 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l v A 7'7'ORNE r.

July 21, 1942. w. -r. KNAUTH ALLEVIATOR 7 Filed Nov. 28, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 271, i942 ill fl t? ATENT FEE arrluvm'roaWalter Theodore Knauth, Houston, Tex. Application November 28, 1940,Serial No. 367,542

7 (Claims.

This invention relates to an alleviator or shock absorber and has beenparticularly adapted for use in connection with fluid conducting pipelines through which the fluid is forced in pulsations by means ofreciprocating pumps or other similar sources of pressure.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed adapted to be interposed between the pump and the conductingline or incorporated into the line itself and which is eflective toabsorb excessive pressures and restore abnormally low pressures and tothus protect the line from the shocks due to variations in pres- SUI'ES.

Another object or" the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed of such construction that air or gas may be utilized as adampening agent to absorb the shocks and which is also of suchconstruction as to be adapted for use on lines carrying fluidscontaining abrasive materials or foreign matter.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts, examples of which are given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 shows asectional view of one form of the alleviator.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment, and

within the inner partition i and a port It connects the chambers 53 and62, said port being provided with a flared valve seat i l arranged tocoopv erate with the ball valve 85 in the chamber l2.

I'he chamber 9 is filled with a suitable liquid in which the valve itmay float.

Around the diaphragms 5 and 6 are the outer and inner chambers it and H.Air or gas under the required pressure may be introduced into the Vchambers E2, E6 and H through suitable connec- Figure 4 shows across-sectional view taken on the line 3- 3 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral ldesignates a cylindrical casing having the outer end plate, or head 2.

Arranged concentrically within the casing and spaced therefrom and alsospaced apart are the cylindrical shaped outer and inner partitions 3 andi which are perforated throughout their area to allow the free flow offluid therethrough. The outer ends of these partitions are suitablyanchored to the outer end plate 2.

Surrounding the respective partitions 3 and Q are the elastic diaphragms5 and 8 whose outer ends are suitably clamped around the correspondingends or" the partitions. The opposite ends of the casing, thepartitions, and the diaphragms ar clamped together and are suitablysecured to the adjacent end of the fitting l which latter is tions as itcontrolled by conventional back pressure valves. The pressure in thevarious chambers may be varied as required.

When there is pressure in the line the diaphragm 8 will be moved toforce part of the liquid from the chamber 9 through the port E3 into thechamber i2 and the valve l5 will float in this liquid. When there is nopressure in the line the diaphragm 3 assumes its normal position and theball valve l5 seats on the seat Ml after substantially all of the liquidin the chamber 82 has returned into the chamber 9. Also the diaphragmsti and 6, previously expanded by the pressure in the line, will returninto close surrounding relationship with their corresponding partitions3 and 3. These partitions t and 6 may, if desired, be surrounded withmetal screen cloth as 59, 23 to better support the correspondingdiaphragms. When the ball valve has seated on the seat M the elasticdiaphragms 5 and 6 will be protected from the influence of any furtherpressure drop in the chamber 9.

Usually the fluid pressure in the chamber it will be somewhat higherthan that of the fluid in the chamber ti. I

The ordinary pump pulsations will usually be dampened by the diaphragms8 and 6 acting against the air, gas or other fluid under pressure in thechambers l2 and ll and higher pressure pulsations will be dampened orabsorbed by the higherpressure of the fluid in the chamber itsurrounding the diaphragm 5.

In the modifications illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the casing isdesignated by the numeral la. It is provided with the end plates 2a, 211into which the adjacent sections Ma, Ma of the line are connected. Inthis form of the alleviator the formed of separable sections and isprovided with 55 uter and inn cylindrical partitions 3a d 44 areprovided which are spaced apart and are spaced inwardly of the casingla. These partitions are perforated throughout and are surrounded by theouter and inner elastic diaphragms 5a and 6a. The ends of the casing, ofthe partitions and of the diaphragms, in this form are suitably clampedto the corresponding end plates 2a. The chambers for air, gas or otherfluid around the respective diaphragms are thus provided and designatedby the numerals l6 and ii.

Surrounding the connections for the sections of pipe line We, Ma, andlocated within the casing, and spaced inwardly from the inner partitionia there is an elastic sleeve 802 whose ends are suitably anchored tothe end plates 2a as shown in Figure 3 thus providing the chamber 7 911between said diaphragm 8a and the partition to. This chamber 9a isfilled with liquid and it has therefore not been considered necessary tosupport the sleeve or diaphragm 8a with a surrounding perforatedcylinder. The liquid flowing through the line will pass through thediaphragm 8a and the varying pressures transmitted through the liquid bythe pump will be transmitted to the diaphragm 8a, to the liquid in thechamber 9a and thence to the diaphragms 6a and 5a. The chambers I6 andJ1 'will contain air or gas under pressure which may be admitted throughthe connections l8.

The partitions 3a and 4a are closely surrounded by metal screen clothI9a, 20a to better. '1

support the corresponding diaphragms 5a, 6a when the pressure in theline is'low.

The type of alleviator herein described is adaptable for general use fordampening pulsa tions in liquid flowing through a line under pumppressure.

chambers, yieldable diaphragms around said partitionswhich are limitedin their movement in one direction by said partitions, compressed gasfilling the gas chambers and liquid in liquid chamber, a yieldablediaphragm exposed to the pressure in the line and forming one side ofsaid liquid chamber and the amount of whose deflection is controlled bythe difference in the fluid pressure on opposite sides of said lastmentioned diaphragm.

4. A pulsation absorbing device adapted to to be connected into a liquidconducting line and comprising a casing having a plurality of chamberstherein, rigid perforated partitions separating said chambers, yieldablediaphragms around said partitions, a non-compressible liquid in one ofsaid chambers and compressed gas in the other chambers, a yieldablediaphragm exposed to the pressure of liquid flowing through the line andforming one side of said liquid chamber, a valve seat through which saidliquid passes under the iifiuence of the movement of said lastmentioned-diaphragm by the pressure of the liquid flo .ving through theline, -a valve controlling said seat and limiting the flow of liquidfrom the chamber in the other direction, said last mentioned diaphragmbeing controlled in movement in the other direction by the difierence influid pressure on opposite sides thereof after the ,valve closes.

5. A pulsation absorbing device adapted to be connected into a liquidconducting line and comprising a casing having a plurality of gaschambers therein and also having a liquid chamber therein, rigidperforated partitions between the chambers, yieldable diaphragms aroundthe partitions, afreely movable yieldable diaphragm forming one side ofthe liqu1d cham- The drawings and description are illustrative gasfilled chambers and-one of which separates the chamber containing theliquid from the adjacent gas filled chamber and yieldable diaphragmsaround said partitions.

2. A pulsation absorbing device adapted to be connected into a liquidconducting line and comprising a casing having a plurality of gas filledchambers therein and also having a liquid chamber therein, liquid in theliquid chamber, rigid perforated partitions between the chambers,yieldable diaphragms around the partitions, a yieldable diaphragmseparating the liquid in said liquid chamber from the liquid conductedby the line, a valve seat in the casing through which liquid may flowwhen said last mentioned diaphragm is moved in one direction by thepressure of fluid flowing through the line and a valve adapted tofinally close I said seat upon movement of said last mentioned diaphragmin the other direction.

3. A pulsation absorbing'device adapted to be connected into a liquidconducting line and comprising a casing having a plurality of gaschambers and also having a liquid chamber, rigid perforated partitionsseparating said her and exposed to the direct pressure of the liquidflowing through the line, said liquid chamber having a valve assemblytherein arranged to allow'liquid to flow therethrough upon movement ofsaid last mentioned diaphragm in one direction, under the influence ofthe pressure of the liquid flowing through the line, to exert a pressureagainst the gas in said gas chambers, said valve assembly being arrangedto limit the flow of liquid therethrough upon movement of said lastmentioned diaphragm in the other direction.

6. A pulsation absorbing device adapted to be connected into a liquidconducting line and comprising a casinghaving a plurality of adjacentchambers, liquid in one of said chambers, a yieldable diaphragmseparating the liquid conducted through the line from that contained inthe liquid chamber, said diaphragm forming one side of the liquidchamber and the amount of whose deflection is controlled solely by thedifference in the fluid pressure on opposite sides of the prising acasing having a plurality of chambers,

liquid in one of said chambers, a yieldable diaphragm forming one sideof the liquid chamber a,aoo,ss7 v 3 and separating liquidconductedthrough the line from that contained in the liquid chamber, theamount of deflection of said diaphragm being controlled solely by thediiierence in fluid pressure of the liquid conducted through the lineand that contained in the liquid chamber, compressed as in the otherchamber, a valve seat between the chambers through which liquid may movefreely irom the liquid chamber into the gas from the gas chamber intothe liquid chamber in accordance with variations of the fluid pressurein the liquid chamber, a valve adapted to float in the liquid movingfrom the liquid chamber into the gas chamber and being arranged to.

finally seat on the valve seat to limit the amount of the liquidreceding from the gas chamber to the liquid chamber.

WAL'IERYTHEODORE KNAUTH.

